Transformers - Jetfire

EDITOR'S OPINION

Alright folks this is going to be the biggest Transformers VC in quite some time actually as this shall be for the Autobot known as Jetfire!

In the original G1 series he is voiced by VA Gregg Berger. Now I know what you might be thinking "what isn't that Skyfire"? Yes that is Jetfire but he had to be called Skyfire in the TV series due to some fairly convoluted legal issues (over how lets just say he wasn't based on a toy Takara made). Anyways in this series Jetfire is another one of the more intellectual characters in the show whom was a fellow scientist and colleague of infamous Decepticon Starscream. While Gregg's Skyfire/Jetfire voice does sound a bit more tougher than most of the other "intellectuals" in the show Gregg's performance did fulfill that part as well. While not as memorable as Gregg Berger's work as Grimlock, it was an above average performance and is a good example of Gregg's handiwork.

In most of the Transformers Unicron Trilogy he was voiced by Ocean Group VA Scott McNeil. In this version of Jetfire, he is a loyal soldier whom can be a bit cocky but is otherwise a cool and pretty easy going Autobot. Scott's Jetfire voice is similar to his Koga voice (InuYasha) and he does give it a bit of gruffness its considerably lighter when it comes to his other gruff voices. While its not quite an example of Scott's best work in a Transformers series its still a pretty good example of his work in its own right.

However oddly enough fellow Ocean Group VA Brian Drummond took over the role in Transformers Cybertron. Now I like Brian Drummond and I by all means think he is a fine VA but I still kind of question the necessity in this casting choice. Namely on how they wanted Jetfire to sound more Australian in Cybertron in which lets just say Scott easily could've done that just fine (especially to make this all the more ironic Scott McNeil is actually from Brisbane Austrailia). But still in all fairness while its not the best work Brian Drummond has done he certainly did a commendable job in trying to get the idea to work.

In Transformers Animated, Jetfire is voiced by VA Tom Kenny, in which this is pretty much the only jet he played that's an Autobot (and Starscream or his clones). This version of Jetfire is a highly cheerful naive but well meaning young Autobot with a rather thick Russian accent and Tom's work certainly did its job overall. (I guess the only problem is that his work as Jetfire barely sounds any different from Phil LaMarr's work as Jetstorm but then again their twins so I suppose thats expected.)

In Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, Jetfire gets another accented voice and this time he is depicted as a cranky geriatric Autobot. (Whom was supposedly a Decepticon in this story... for about 5 minutes in which he switches sides quickly in his introduction.) Mark "Bumblebee" Ryan voiced Jetfire and Mark did have some fun with this role as he did a surprisingly good job playing up the "Cranky Old Man" aspect of Jetfire's persona here well with a Yorkshire accent and this is probably one of the better accented Jetfire voices to say the least.

Though oddly enough in the game based off of the movie he was voiced by Clive "Kickback" Revill whom also tried to do an older Euro-accented voice for the role. While Clive's work as Jetfire is a fairly blatant "Stand-in" performance its a fairly good one nevertheless.

And last but not least is Transformers War for Cybertron he is voiced VA Troy Baker. While there is a little bit of an accent in his Jetfire voice but unlike the other accented Jetfire voices its considerably lighter and hey I guess it works here as well. But still I admit from what little I've heard I do fairly like what I hear and it certainly seems to be rather above average as well.

Overall I liked Gregg Berger, Scott McNeil and Mark Ryan the most but I liked all 7 of these Jetfire voices for sure though.

Pokejedservo

I can't stand Kenny or McNeil's version!! Not sure how anyone would vote for them. To me its a toss up between Drummond, Baker, and Berger but in the end my vote goes for Troy Baker!

I like Gregg Berger's, but Mark Ryan's is the most hilarious out of all of them. So I voted for him!

Mark Ryan goes for the winner here, definetely:
He was, and is, my favourite character of Revenge of the Fallen, and it still makes me grief and sad he had to die, even if he did for noble cause and atonement.

He also had some of best lines too:
ITCHY WRESTY RUSTY MY ASS!

My Father was wheel, the first wheel, do
you know what he transformed into? NOTHING! But he did so with honor dignity and...BROOOT!!!!
My boosters all fired!

The Fallen!? I know him, he left me here to rust, Original Decepticon! Terrible boss to work for, it,s always apocalypse, chaos crisis!

I put them in this Order:
1st Berger, 2nd Ryan, 3rd Baker, 4th McNeil,
5th Revill, 6th Drummond, 7th Kenny

i favor Mark Ryan because his voice is much bolder than greg berger mainly because you guys keep thinking that the voices of the g1 characters are best when its not always true

For once, I agree with markmarino. A lot of the time, the first voice (typically G1) is winning just because it's the original. I like Gregg Berger as an actor, and he did a good job as Jetfire, but his voice for Jetfire was just a bit generic and not as fun as Mark Ryan's.

I still disagree no one can say exactly why someone is getting votes. I love the G1 cartoon and many original cartoons way more than current versions but have voted on current voices over original voices many times.

And to be honest this might be the first time ever that I voted for the original every other time I've voted for current voices

Thats just as bad as voting for the original everytime. No one should vote based on rules like that they should take every single case as an individual compare and vote on the BEST voice not the one they know the most.

Mark Ryan stated at TFcon (he was great, by the way!) that Clive Revill voiced Jetfire in the ROTF video game because he was still busy doing Jetfire's lines for the movie (which took a long time) and couldn't do the game at the same time.

And to be honest with you optimussolo I was just following the poll and other user's opinions even though I never have an official opinion of my own. I always take things including the polls into consideration

Thanks for getting this compare done, Pokejedservo! It's one that I've been waiting eagerly for. :)

I think that they all do fine jobs, as each version is different than the other (save for "RotF" Jetfire movie vs. game). I spent most of my Transformers-life hearing McNeil voice Jetfire, so I *may* go with him as my favourite, seeing as how he's got that confident, yet commanding tone. I don't really find Berger's or Baker's versions anything special, in my opinion. But overall, I'd say Mark Ryan in "RotF" is my all time favourite. That version of the character was just so memorable and unique with his performance, voice and appearance. It's a shame that Revill's dialogue isn't that audible in the game. Oh well.

Great work again, guys!